Christian County man pleads guilty to possession of child pornography
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A Christian County man who was a registered sex offender pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on Friday.
Billy Jo Hulfachor, 37, of Pana was sentenced by Christian County Circuit Court Judge Brad Paisley in Taylorville.
The charges stemmed from a Jan. 19 search of Hulfachor’s residence in the 100 block of South Sheridan Street in Pana. Illinois Attorney General office investigators, Christian County sheriff's deputies, and Pana Police Department officers conducted the search.
“This sentence sends a message that possessing child pornography in any capacity in Christian County will be met with stiff penalties as provided for under the law,” Christian County state’s attorney John McWard said in a news release issued by the Attorney General's office.
Hulfachor had pleaded guilty in Sangamon County for failing to register as a sex offender in 2013. He was sentenced to two years' probation.
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He also was convicted for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of an 11-year-old child in Edgar County in 2003.
Assistant Attorney General Katherine C. Hegarty handled the latest case for the office’s high-tech crimes bureau.
Hulfachor's case was part of an ongoing collaboration involving the Attorney General’s office and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to apprehend offenders who download and trade child pornography online.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: A Pana IL man will spend 30 years in prison for possessing child porn
